Radiation-guided drug delivery systems.

A primary limiting factor for cancer treatment is normal tissue toxicity. Targeted cancer treatment can potentially maximize cancer cure and minimize normal tissue toxicity. Physical energy can be used to activate inert oncologic drugs. X-rays have an advantage over other forms of physical energy because tissue penetration and precise localization can be achieved. Radiation can be used to control drug delivery through radiation-inducible gene therapy. Radiation-guided drug delivery systems involve the targeting of immunoconjugates to radiation-inducible neoantigens induced by irradiation of neoplasms. Magnetic fields can compliment these technologies by drawing magnetic particles containing oncologic drugs toward an externally applied magnetic field. The field of targeted drug delivery by use of external radiation fields will ultimately bring new delivery systems into clinical trials. This review highlights radiation-guided cancer drug delivery systems, at preclinical and clinical stages of development, to tumors and tumor blood vessels.